Preserving Historic Land in Washington County

Preserving Historic Land in Washington County

Washington County receives a major land grand as part of the Rural Legacy Program from the State of Maryland.

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Md. -Overlooking the Red Hill is miles of open land with a richness of agricultural, historic and environmental properties.

Many want to keep it that way with a new grant from the state of Maryland.

"For this grant we've received $1.245 million for the Rural Legacy Program. The Antietam Battlefield of about 40 thousand acres was picked for the Rural Legacy because it has all three in abundance," said Eric Seifarth, Rural Preservation Administrator.

Officials with WashingtonCounty say since Antietam generates some $35 million from tourism every year, it's an area that should be protected.

"The land will be protected forever. We will buy those development rights. Then the property will look pretty much as it is now," said Seifarth.

"It's special because it's preserved through grant funding from the state. It's in place to preserve open spaces in cultural and historic areas in WashingtonCounty," said Chris Boggs, Land Preservation Planner.

Instead of down-zoning and taking away rights from citizens, Seifarth said the state's funding will allow the land owner to be paid development rights.

Copyright 2013 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.